French Quarter

The equestrian statue of Andrew Jackson in New Orleans' Jackson Square, installed in 1856, commemorates his 1815 victory at the Battle of New Orleans, the last major engagement of the War of 1812. The square, formerly Place d'Armes, was renamed in Jackson's honor in 1851 and later redeveloped under Baroness de Pontalba's beautification efforts.

Sculptor Clark Mills built the statue depicting Jackson atop a rearing horse, an engineering feat since the bronze mass stands unsupported and has survived more than a century of storms. However, it was not the first of its kind: Mills created an earlier, identical statue in Washington, D.C., which holds the distinction of being the first American-made equestrian statue and the first anywhere to show a horse balanced solely on its hind legs. Mills later produced two more copies, in Nashville and Jacksonville. Despite being a replica, the New Orleans version drew massive crowds at its 1856 unveiling and remains a defining symbol of the French Quarter.

A guest log obtained by The Advocate | The Times-Picayune shows Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser's Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism repeatedly allowed politicians and other guests to use a state-owned apartment in New Orleans' French Quarter — the so-called Irby apartment in the Lower Pontalba Building on Jackson Square — for short stays between March 2024 and March 2026.

The unredacted log, which names guests Nungesser's office had redacted in its most recent state audit, lists more than 60 visits by dozens of people, including U.S. Rep. Troy Carter, Lafayette Mayor Monique Boulet, LSU Board of Supervisors chair Lee Mallett, and state Reps. Dustin Miller and Larry Bagley, along with former legislators, out-of-state officials, state employees and private visitors. Reasons given include museum events, LSU business, professional development, and law enforcement or prison-programming meetings.

The Louisiana Legislative Auditor has said since 2020 that such stays should directly benefit Louisiana State Museums; Nungesser's office maintains broader use is permissible. Museum director Rebecca Mackie defended the practice as supporting tourism-related work.

New Orleans is marking "9 to 5 Day" with a series of tributes to Dolly Parton, who died last month. Mayor Helena Moreno and the New Orleans City Council are officially recognizing the day as "Dolly Day," with a mayoral proclamation planned for the evening.

The centerpiece of the tributes is a memorial parade hosted by the Krewe of Dolly, a Mardi Gras krewe inspired by the singer that raises money to expand her Imagination Library literacy program to every New Orleans ZIP code. The parade route runs from Armstrong Park through the French Quarter to the New Orleans Jazz Museum, followed by a celebration of life at the Blue Nile and an after-party at the Hi-Ho Lounge. Additional events include a Dolly-themed brunch at the Kingfish benefiting the Imagination Library, a library party in Jefferson Parish, burlesque shows at The Royal Sonesta, and samples of Parton's new "Cup of Ambition" coffee at a local Rouses Market. Parton had longstanding ties to the city through past performances and television filming.